First Impressions: Using the Nikon D4

The Nikon D4 is a serious photographic tool at a serious price. At $6000 the D4 is twice the cost of the recently-released D800, and offers just under half of its pixel count. But it's what the D4 does with its pixels - and how quickly and reliably it does it - which makes it so potentially attractive to working professionals. The D4 is built for speed and versatility. It might not offer the highest resolution on the market, but it is designed to deliver its 16MP images at a rate of 11 per second in all winds and weathers.

A few days ago we took delivery of a factory-fresh production D4 in our Seattle offices and it's hardly been turned off since. We've already published a detailed overview of the D4, and we've also asked a group of professional photographers what they think, but in this article, I'll be explaining what the D4 is actually like to use, as we move forward towards a full, in-depth review.

Full disclosure here, I use a D3S regularly, and outside of my day to day shooting for dpreview, much of my personal and professional photography over the past five years has been shot using either the D3 or D3S. Like all camera reviewers I swap between different systems constantly, but I happen to know the D3 and D3S very well.

The New York Dolls, 2009, taken on a Nikon D3S at ISO 8000 (processed Raw)

Denmark Hill, 2010, taken on a Nikon D3X at ISO 320 (Processed Raw)

Biffy Clyro, 2010, taken on a Nikon D3S at ISO 6400 (Processed Raw)

Kentish Town, 2009, taken on a Nikon D3 at ISO 400 (Processed Raw)

That said, bear in mind that this article is not a review. That's in the pipeline. Also, I don't pretend to speak for all photographers, so if you think I've got something wrong, or I haven't mentioned something that you really like (or don't like) in this article feel free to leave a comment. You'll find four pages in this article, the first three comprise a quick overview of my early impressions of the camera, both good and bad, and page four is reserved for samples - studio, real-world and video clips.

Overview

The D4 is a heavy, chunky camera, just like the D3S which it replaces. But whereas the D3S inherited the 2007-vintage D3 chassis, the D4 brings new ergonomics as well as an updated specification. Cosmetically, the D4 is curvier and more streamlined than its predecessors, and slightly lighter, too. The D4's battery is new, and is not compatible with the older type used in the D3 and D3S. The same applies to the D4's battery compartment door, which looks like it might be interchangeable with that from the older models, but is actually a slightly different size.

Although most of its controls are in basically the same places compared to the D3 and D3S the D4 feels subtly different in use thanks in part to the redesigned hand grip and the steeper angle of the main shutter release.

Compared to the D3S, the D4 looks slightly different when viewed from the top. A red movie shooting button is an obvious addition to the right hand side of the top plate but in this view you can also see that the 3-position metering switch has been removed and metering mode added to the cluster of controls on the upper left.

Changes have been made to the D4's rear controls and control layout as well - two new 'sub-selector' joysticks have been added for horizontal and vertical format shooting and a new live view switch (the same as that used on the recently announced D800) has been added below the LCD screen.

Comments

I would love to know more about the new autofocus options, especially for sports photography. Guess that will be in the actual Review. (And it's strange to see the word focussed but WIKI says it is used in the UK and Canada. I am Canadian but have never seen it spelled focussed)

Barnaby: thanks. One point you and the DPR reviewers should check out is the low ISO shadows recovery abilities of both D3s and D4 and later with 1Dx. The D4 is now better than the D7000 in that respect, and a fair leap over the D3s, at least visually, and that should also say something about base ISO DR and its general HL and HL recovery abilities. Check this test:

Also, don't forget to add crops at similar resolutions D4xD3s. BTW, maybe you should add some basic resolution for you comparing tool. For example, add an alternative of all RAW converted jpegs (ACR) at, say 8 or 10MP. That would simulate same printing sizes.

With regard to the AF switch, I've used the D7000 and the D700 and I prefer the system in the D7000. The reason is that it makes changing the number of focus points much easier. With the D7000 you can do it with your eye to the view finder, with the D700 you have to go into the menus.

All I have to say is that I preferred cameras being tested in London -- somehow the images had more character and told a story, the full 1000 words. The images posted here are less vibrant and seems like someone just threw away half the words...

Unless I'm missing something, I don't understand the issue here. Surely, like other 'up-market' Nikon bodies, you just set the camera to AF-C, move focus acquisition control solely to AF-ON (i.e. also divorce it from the shutter button). That way, you effectively have 'AF-S' if you press and release AF-ON and you have AF-C if you keep AF-ON depressed?

@ Peter, yes, you're right that you can work like this if you want to (and it's always been possible) but for photographers who prefer AF-S as the default and only occasionally need to switch to AF-C, the new design makes that switchover slower.

Good review/comparison. However, when comparing one Nikon to another Nikon, it would be nice to see Capture NX2 used rather than ACR. I never use ACR to process Nikon RAW files, in my experience NX always gets the best out of them. How the files compare in ACR doesn't really illustrate how the results of a lot of Nikon users will compare. Processing the original high ISO test shots of both the D3s and D4 at ISO 12800 in NX2, the D4 file was very noticeably more detailed, with finer, less blotchy grain.

The ergonomic problems reported here were worse than I expected, and I certainly had my concerns. Making the switch from AF-S to AF-C harder is probably a deal breaker for me by itself, as my nature work has me doing that multiple times in most sessions of shooting I do, and I hate "digi interface" switching. And, the joystick bouncing against the chest changing the AF point - did no one at Nikon who actually takes pictures in the field have a hand in this new model? All this and the tester never even got to questions about significantly decreased shots per battery charge, lack of ability to swap batteries with the D3 bodies (understandable if it didn't come up in a week-long test), and mismatched CF card slots with new cards that don't exist yet.

I've had no battery issues at all - I shot 3 days on a single charge (around 300 pics in total, with some video and a lot of screen review) and indicated battery life only went down a couple of notches.

Thanks for the feedback. Let me just point out, though, that most of these tests tend to be city shoots, and there is a fairly serious contingent of us whose focus is on remote shoots, wherein one travels to the jungle and stays there for a week, shooting far more than 300 images per day. There the apparent 50% drop in shots per charge with the D4 will make a substantial difference. Same with CF card mismatch. I appreciate your report, I'm simply pointing out there remain other key ergonomic challenges with the D4 generation that have not yet been seriously evaluated (but pretty clearly aren't going to be good!).

Sure - one thing I would say though is that you'll get a better idea of 'true' battery life once a brand-new battery has been put through a few charge/recharge cycles. I'll report back as we continue to use the camera.

I don't much like the choice of functions on top of the left control dial. I much prefer them as they are on other cameras, like the D800, with White Balance, ISO, Qual, and Bracketing. These are the four functions I want to check when I first turn my camera on. Having the metering mode under my thumb that could easily be switched as I assessed the shot through the viewfinder was very useful to me and moving it to the top left dial is not an advantage.

I also preferred the old AF point select switch on the back where you could just see the mode it was set to and flick it to another instead of having to press one button, while turning a dial, while looking at the LCD screen.

I'm all for improved ergonomics, but I don't yet see these changes as improvements.

Our review of the D700 predates the 'new' (current) studio comparison scene. The D3 is a decent proxy if you're curious but we're going to try to get hold of a D700 as soon as possible and include it in this comparison.

I dont mind about super hi ISO, really. I used to photograph concerts in FAR worse lighting than exists these days in stadia, but it never stopped me getting what I needed because I used very fast prime lenses. I did not use zooms. So what manufacturers are doing, (bless them!) is providing boosts for images on f2.8 zooms that admit a quarter of the light an f1.4 prime does. Try an f1.4 on a D800 soon!!! IF that motorbike video is really from D800s, it is sensationally good. And the D4 should be as good, but where is the 24-70mm f2.8 IS?? Tamron??

I see no advance on my 1Ds MkII body therefore. There is no better IQ at 400 and under. There is no advance in ergonomics at all. A 1Ds is a box with a lens, and it expects YOU to focus. It does not need toggles because the wheel is big enough to use vertically as well.Nikon should imitate the good things

These machines, the 1Dx and D4 are the cost of a new car with a 5 year warranty.Think about it!!

Of course the "motorbike" video, Joy Ride is from the D800. Just watch the "Behind the Scenes" to see. What, you think it's a big conspiracy by Sandro and Nikon, because a production company used ONE shot from a 5D, a video camera, in a Thai TV Commercial?

And yeah whilst shooting concerts prime's are the best, but they just aren't as versatile as a 24-70 2.8 & 70-200 2.8 combo. Thats why its nice to have the extra hi-iso performance, so that you have the best of both worlds. Your moaning about non-issues!

Barney,Since you can't say the truth, I'll say it for you:The D3S is still the ISO king.Even if you down-sample the D4's 16MP 12,800 ISO RAW photos to 12MP,(or up-sample the D3S's 12MP to 16MP - the D3S wins.As simple as that.In the end - Image Quality is what it's all about.D3S owners - keep your camera.

I totally agree with your view... everybody here seems so reluctant to accept t he fact that thew D3S is still top dog as far as high ISO & overall IQ are concerned...

They're trying to justify things by saying the D4 is as good as the D3S at pixel level... oh really?! ... even when viewed at 100% & 200% magnification... the D3S is much clearer & sharper... with a lower presence of artifacts... and delivering a more natural looking image...

Look at the background in the mode dial samples between the D3S & D4 ... the textures from the D3S are much better defined and sharper... the D4 background is like a smudged out effect... The D4 is applying more NR in its JPEG's...

I completely agree, and I shoot Canon. I blogged about this issue days ago, as it can be clearly seen from DPReview's own D4 samples compared with D3s, the clear winner. I also noted there the comparisons at ISO25,600, with the D3s, though in expansion mode, still beat the D4. I highly recommend grabbing D3s while you still can, and use the difference to buy a killer lens. :)

Please explain why the D3s trumps the D4? The pixel-level noise is better on the D4. The sharpness is better on the D4. The resolution is higher on the D4. Then there's the video, in which there is no comparison.

"Redesigned Focus Mode Switch".Focus mode switch is the only lack in my D700.Casual displacement it's very tedious."To access the D4's AF modes, you have to depress the button at the hub of the control".Very good choice, Nikon!

Where is the D700 in the samples comparison so we can compare them together?

Even if The D800 had close to D700 iso capability it would be a penomenonal camera. But somehow, I doubt that will

Sure, I think I'd have more use for the D4 vs the D800 but size and price are huge deterrents.

I'm the typical amateur photographer that takes indoor and low light sport shots and of kids running around in the house. I do take some scenery shots but have never blown my 11x19. So I need a good high ISO camera in a small body.

Make the D4 in a smaller body and drop the price to the D800 range, and I'm sold.

If you apply heavy NR to a 36MP camera you end up with an 18MP (or whatever you choose) camera with much better high ISO characteristics. If you look at the picture, not the pixels, a high MP camera will give you a choice of high res / high noise or lower res / lower noise. The d800 will blow the d700 away for high ISO.

The price is slow shooting performance while it digests all those pixels.

No the D4 is the FLAGSHIP because it costs the most nothing more. It is actually a very specialist camera. For most types of shooting a less expensive model will serve just as well and in some cases better.

Looks and reads impressive. I myself am waiting for the D800 review, in order to decide o whether to purchase it or not, but for the meantime, the D4 is a little out of my reach. In any case, thank you for a great - as usual - hands on review.

Next time you test the video could you please shoot at a video standard shutter speed like a 1/60 or 1/50 of a second. That should give you a smoother video image. You will probably need a neutral density outside to achieve this.

I used a 105mm for the still lifes, but yes, we'll be publishing a gallery of 85mm shots as soon as we can, and with any luck a review at some point later in the year. We're gearing up to do lens reviews again at the moment after a hiatus.

@Lee - no, you're just reading the wrong thing. The still life pictures on page 3 were shot using the 105mm, and are labelled as such. The studio samples, and some of the real-world pictures were taken on the 85mm.

"It is designed to deliver its 16MP images at a rate of 11 per second."When I assume a 150.000 shots shutter life, at 11 fps, the camera has a predicted working lifetime of less than 4 hours. And that is called a serious working tool for professionals.

D4 = 400.000 clicks shutter lifeSo you have 10.1 hours of 11 FPS madness ... there you have a professional tool ... ofcourse you can also use the camera like a normal human being and it will last years :)Regards

AF-C mode isn't for holding down the shutter button like you're trying to stop the Allie's from getting up the beach on D-Day. It is for a quick, will timed, burst of 3-5 frames to catch the action at just the right moment.

Barney, nice work. The sub-selector seems a big problem. I checked my 1D mk3, it's sub-selector is hidden beside the raised screen and viewfinder, so never has such an issue. Maybe adding an eyepiece or hood on the viewfinder will help? Did you talk with Nikon and see if they can modify it?

My Panasonic GH2 has nothing to worry about with regards to video quality and that's without the hack. The video from the D4 is simply not sharp or detailed and and full of artefacts. I think even the old Canon 5D2 would produce better quality video. It's sad as I really had high hopes for these new Nikon cameras. Hopefully the D800 will do better and especially the Canon 5D3.

EOSHD constantly shills for, I mean, raves about the GH2. He is trying to sell his GH2 book, after all. The GH2 is great, I have one. But more people use the 5D Mk II, and it's likely more will use the excellent 5D Mk III, D800 and D4. There are plenty of excellent D4 video samples around the web. And for low light shooting or shallow DOF work, the GH2 can't touch the D4, 5D Mk III, or D800.

The D4 is indeed impressive, but I was expecting a larger gap between the high ISO performance of it compared to the D3S. Not that I'm complaining, because the D3S is awesome. I like the idea of more speed, and better AF, but I think the D3 is good to where I don't have to buy a D4 right away, and will wait to get a used one.

Great read guys, thanks for the article, which certainly goes beyond the usual preview. While it may be too early to say this, I think Nikon's PR was a bit optimistic in stating D4s noise is a stop above th D3s. From what I've seen, they're evenly matched for the most part. Still, with a 16mp sensor, to keep noise at bay like they have is great. Love the backlit buttons!

With the advent and advances in m4/3 I have to say that I am not interested in another FF Pro DSLR fror anyone. I have two (2) FF DSLR's, a Canon 1DsMkII and an older Kodak SLR/n FF. I have an even older Nikon D1H Pro Camera as well. I like the IQ from all three. But, I am tired of the weight and size. When are Nikon and Canon going to realize that the day's of these large cameras are over due to advances in electronics and sensor's.

Nothing wrong with the mirror less format. (They have to change the name. Calling something by what they DON'T have seems silly)However, the IQ doesn't and likely never will compare to the larger sensors. At some point they may have FF in a smaller package but the lenses will always be large. The size of the bodies serve partly to balance that factor.

There is small format option from most camera manufacturer. As for IQ, current small format camera is far from the full frame one. No doubt that 1 day, mirrorless can reach this level of IQ, but by that time, full frame will be at another few level above... Then question goes down to... do you need it?

Speed is another factor. For serious action photography, mirrorless camera is not up for that.

Some of the comments in here are just...exotic. That is all good since fantasy is needed. But then lets come down to Earth. Technology wise you cannot produce a leap forward as it was with the D3/D300 in terms of IQ, every second year. In this respect I think the D4s IQ is great. It might not 3 stops over the D3s noisewise, but other improvements are significant, just namely video and ergonomy. Like in other industries there is no one size fits all. I am pretty sure those who are really interested in this camera will find it very attractive. Me too I would like a camera like an iPhone with the capabilites of the D4 in the mornings and the D800 in the afternoons.

So to me - cons are - 2 different cards, AF switch, different battery, bigger files (bad for PJ) with virtually the same IQ... I am keeping my 2 D3s bodies for sure... I will get D800 as a high res addition and video though... ;-)

spidercrown: The smaller format will always lose in IQ but probably at some point most people will say, "I guess I don't really need to shoot at iso 4,000,000, I'll settle for the iso 1,000,000 on the 4/3s camera." Re: shooting speed: Have you noticed the 9fps Olympus EM-5?

More about gear in this article

NASA astronaut Jeff Williams posted a video detailing some of the equipment he uses to capture Earth from the ISS. So what kind of specialized gear does one use in space? Turns out the crew uses 'regular photography equipment' like the Nikon D4. Read more

It's telling that DPR regular Christopher Michel corresponded about this piece while en route to Antarctica. He considers freelance photography his third career, one that has taken him to the proverbial ends of the earth and beyond. From a U-2 spy plane to the North Pole, he's searched all over for stories and images that inspire. See some of his work here and find out more about him in our Q&A. Read more

Laurent Baheux began in photography as a sports writer and photojournalist before a safari to Tanzania in 2002 changed his life. There he fell in love with photographing the exotic animals of Africa, preferring a fine art approach that gives his wildlife images a portrait-like quality. Read more

With nearly thirty years of photography as well as almost ninety countries under his belt, travel, editorial and reportage photographer Mark Edward Harris has dedicated his eye to capturing life. His career in photography began as a still shooter for the Merv Griffin Show, but it was a four month trek through Asia when the show ended that first ignited his true love; travel photography. Read more about Harris' photography as well as his tips on traveling light in our Q+A. See gallery

In the aftermath of Andy Murray's historic victory at Wimbledon 2013, Nikon UK has been explaining how its cameras were used in a robotics setup to capture images from unique angles during the championship. The system was developed in partnership with Mark Roberts Motion Control, and operated by photographer Bob Martin. It used a Nikon D4 mounted on the roof above Centre Court, with 200-400mm and 80-400mm lenses. Click through to see some of the resultant images.

Latest in-depth reviews

Panasonic's premium compact DC-ZS200 (TZ200 outside of North America) boasts a 24-360mm equiv. F3.3-6.4 zoom lens, making it the longest reaching 1"-type pocket camera on the market. There are tradeoffs that come with that big lens, however. Find out all the details in our in-depth review.

The Hex Raven DSLR bag holds a ton of gear and employs a low-profile design that doesn't scream "I'm a camera bag." We think it's a little too bulky for everyday use, but makes for a great option when traveling with a lot of gear.

The Sony a7 III sets a new benchmark for full-frame cameras thanks to its compelling combination of value and capability. It's at home shooting everything from sports to portraits, and is one of the most impressive all-around cameras we've seen in a long while. Find out all the details in our full review.

Latest buying guides

What's the best camera for a parent? The best cameras for shooting kids and family must have fast autofocus, good low-light image quality and great video. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for parents, and recommended the best.

What's the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.

What’s the best camera costing over $2000? The best high-end camera costing more than $2000 should have plenty of resolution, exceptional build quality, good 4K video capture and top-notch autofocus for advanced and professional users. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing over $2000 and recommended the best.

What's the best camera for taking pictures of people and events? Reliable autofocus, good image quality in low light, and great colors straight from the camera are all important. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting people and events, and recommended the best.

The new HP DesignJet Z6 and Z9+ supposedly offer "the fastest printing capabilities available on the market today," all while using fewer ink tanks, and featuring useful add-ons like a built-in vertical trimmer.

In an effort to streamline production and minimize confusion, RED has announced that it is simplifying its product lineup to three main cameras. As an added bonus, this change dramatically drops the prices for all three options.

Fujifilm's new X-T100 is an SLR-style mirrorless camera that takes the internals of the X-A5, including phase-detect AF, and adds a fully articulating LCD and high-res OLED viewfinder. The X-T100 is priced at a very reasonable $599/€599 body-only and $699/€699/£619 with a 15-45mm lens.

Panasonic's latest firmware update for its GH5S, GH5 and G9 series of cameras was leaked in Japan earlier today and is now being officially announced a week early. But don't get too excited – you still won't be able to download it until May 30th.

We've been saying for years that the term "lens compression" is misleading, but Lee Morris over at Fstoppers has put together a useful video that explains why this is the case, and demonstrates it with two easy-to-understand examples.

Last week, some 'leaked' photos were published online that purported to show a DJI Phantom 5 drone with interchangeable lens camera and several prime lenses. The rumor was widely reported, but DPReview has learned that those images do not, in fact, show a Phantom 5 at all.

Award-winning fashion and celebrity photographer Markus Klinko recently tested out the Godox EC-200 flash extension head. Actually, he tested out four of them, creating a quad-flash ring light alternative that works great for both beauty and close-up work.

According to a recent investor presentation, Sony intends to occupy the top slot in the overall camera market by the end of 2020, beating back Canon and Nikon by boosting its interchangeable lens systems.

Google has finally added the ability to mark your favorite images in Google Photos, so they can be filtered into a dedicated album. The service is also planning to a social network-like "heart" button that lets you like other people's photos.

We've been messing around with Apollo, an iOS app that allows you to add 3D lighting effects to images using depth information, and have to say we're impressed with what it's capable of – but that doesn't mean we don't have a few requests for the next version.

The new lightweight laptop packs a whole lot of photo- and video-editing punch. The laptop can be specced out with a Core i9 processor, 16GB of RAM, 1TB of SSD storage, NVIDIA graphics with 4GB of GDDR5, and a 4K display with 100% Adobe RGB coverage.

It looks like Canon is getting into sensor sales. The three specialized CMOS sensors the company recently demoed—including a 120MP APS-H model and an ultra-low light sensor—have been listed for sale through a distributor in the US.

Kodak Alaris has launched a new single-use disposable camera in Europe. Called the Kodak Daylight Single Use Camera, this 800 ISO film camera is supposedly ideal for parties, weddings, and similar events.

Computer vision company Lucid and cinema camera maker RED have partnered to create an 8K 3D camera that can capture 4-view (4V) holographic images and video in real-time. The camera is designed to work with RED's upcoming holographic Hydrogen One smartphone.

If Canon and Nikon do get into high-end mirrorless, it's almost certain that they'll do everything they can to maintain compatibility with their existing mounts. But, asks Richard Butler, wouldn't it be more interesting if they built a small, niche system to live alongside their existing DSLRs?

You know that feeling when you're already all suited up and out on a spacewalk outside the International Space Station, and only then do you realize you forgot to put the SD card in your GoPro? No? Us either... but one astronaut on the ISS sure does.

From 2015 to 2017, filmmaker Macgregor and his crew spend many months traveling back and forth on the famed Mauritanian Railway—the so-called 'Backbone of the Sahara—to document the grueling journey endured by merchants who regularly travel atop this train. This beautifully-executed short doc is the result.

Synology has added a new 6-bay NAS to its DiskStation+ series, and it's aimed squarely at photographers and medium sized businesses. The DS1618+ can handle up to six 12TB drives, giving it a max capacity of 72TB, or up to 60TB in RAID 5.

Our original gallery for Tamron's new 70-210mm F4 had portraits, slow-moving wildlife and city scenes, but was sorely missing fast action. We remedied that by photographing some motorcycles flying through the air.

This week on DPReview TV, Chris and Jordan prepare for the summer holiday season by putting several popular waterproof cameras to the test. If you're considering a rugged camera for the beach or pool this summer, or if you just want to see what a Chris and Jordan fishing show might look like, tune in.

Soulumination is a non-profit organization that provides life-affirming legacy photography to families facing serious medical conditions, completely free of charge. This video shares the work they are doing.

Fujifilm EU seems to have accidentally leaked an unreleased camera to the masses. The leaked page details a new "X-T100" camera that will share most of its specs with the X-A5, but includes an EVF, deeper buffer, and 3-way tilting touchscreen.

LA-based director and cinematographer Phil Holland of PHFX recently joined forces with Gotham Film Works to create something out-of-this-world. Using a special aerial camera array, Holland shot a flyover of New York City using not one, not two, but three 8K RED Weapon Monstro VistaVision cameras.